


Wolf’s Blood

by MadhouseVagabond



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: Additional minor characters - Freeform, Angst, Cute, F/M, FAHC, Fake AH Crew, Fluff, GTA AU, Gang Violence, Gen, Los Santos, M/M, Supernatural AU - Freeform, Vagabond, Wolfbloods, Wolves, more will be added as time goes on, werewolf AU sorta
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-20
Updated: 2019-02-24
Packaged: 2019-07-14 13:49:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 13,625
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16041743
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MadhouseVagabond/pseuds/MadhouseVagabond
Summary: Everyone has secrets, some dark past hidden away in hopes no one discovers the truth. For Jeremy Dooley, moving to a new town to escape the living nightmare seems like the best option, to forget everything. That is, until he discovers there are others like him.





	1. Prelude

_100 Years Ago_

 

Thunder rolled and lightning lit the sky as the angry mob surged forward towards the house at the end of the village, the villagers carrying torches and pitchforks as well as flintlock pistols. They marched towards the little house, their yelling waking the residents. The man sprang from his bed and glanced out the window, fear flooding his veins when he saw the fire and heard the shouts. He stirred his wife and signaled for her to remain calm and silent. Together they darted to the opposite room and shook their two children awake. The eldest, the daughter yawned and stretched before grabbing her doll and the pillowcase her parents handed to her, the boy holding his own pillowcase with wide eyes.

 

"What's wrong papa?" he whispered.

 

"Something bad is about to happen James. I need the two of you to take as much food as you can and run. Run fast like we taught you and don't look back, no matter what happens!" the father spoke urgently as he and his wife shoved food into each child's bag.

 

"What about you and mama? Aren't you coming too?" the daughter asked, already knowing the answer. The parents looked at each other, tears filling their eyes.

 

"We need to stay Laura. You need to take your brother and run far from here. Remember all the things we taught you," the mother said as she pulled her children towards her and hugged them tightly, tears running down her cheeks before she separated and the father took her place.

 

"Promise us you won't look back! That you'll keep going, no matter what," he said. The two children nodded and sniffled.

 

Everyone froze when the shouting grew louder and the light from the torches could be seen faintly from the windows. Moving quickly, the parents guided their children to the back of the house where a secret door was hidden. The door was small but the two children slipped through it easily enough with their small bundles. The two youngsters turned and looked at their parents one last time, studying their faces and hoping they'd see each other again, though they all knew they never would.

 

"Go my loves. Run!" the father urged and the two children turned and ran towards the woods, their speed inhumanly quick.

 

Laura took her little brother's hand in her free one, keeping him close. They remained silent as they ran, though small cries did escape them every now and then. They made it to the tree line before they stopped and turned to look back, hiding behind a fallen tree. The shouting had gone up and down in volume and now screams joined them as the mob burst into their home and dragged their struggling parents out the door. Their father fought to protect their mother but they were separated and bound tightly to stakes in the yard. The villagers lit the stakes on fire and soon the pained screams reached the ears of the children who squeezed their eyes tightly shut and covered their ears. Laura took James' hand again and the two ran for the darkened forest. The screams echoing behind them were soon joined by another sound, a strange one but the children knew it well.

 

Pained howling.


	2. Fresh Turf

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jeremy Dooley arrives in Los Santos, and hears some unusual sounds in the woods at night.

_Present Day_

 

Los Santos was huge compared to most cities, sporting a large variety of restaurants, newspaper companies, banks, car dealerships, and people. The hubbub of the city, the constant noise of traffic, sometimes pushed residents away towards the less populated areas of the state.

 

This was the case for Jeremy Dooley.

 

The young twenty-five year old stood in front of the house he'd just purchased, taking it all in and sighing. He was shorter than most men his age but what he lacked in height he more than made up for in strength and determination as well as sass. He waved at the cab driver as he pulled away and hefted the dufflebag up onto his shoulder as he walked forward, pulling the keys to his new place out of his pocket and unlocking the door. The inside was musty and whatever sparse furniture there was was covered in plastic. Jeremy frowned as he dropped the bag near the door and began going through and opening all the windows. The bright sunshine streaming in helped tremendously with the appearance.

 

"Well Dooley, this is it. Your new home," he said softly to himself. A slight pain of sadness filled him but he shook it off as he went about the task of tidying up the place.

 

It wasn't a big house, he didn't need a tone of space, so sweeping all the dust up didn't take too long. He took time to explore each room individually, excitement at having a new place mixing amongst his other emotions. He rolled out his sleeping mat and bag in the room he'd deemed to be his bedroom and started unpacking what little he had. He folded his clothes and placed them in the closet and dresser, he pulled out his Xbox and the few games he owned and placed them on top of the dresser, making a mental note to add an entertainment center to his list of furniture to buy in the next few days. One of the last things he unpacked was a small framed photo that he held and stared at for several minutes, tears threatening his eyes. It was a photo of his family, his mother and father standing proudly behind him and his twin sister. They looked so happy in the photo.

 

"I miss you," he said sadly as he placed the photo gently down on the dresser.

 

Deciding to take a break he locked the house and wandered around the property, exploring his new surroundings with a curious mind. New smells and sounds touched his senses causing him to perk up. His small, quiet home was in the wooded area of Vinewood, a few neighbors scattered here and there down the road but for the most part he was isolated.

 

_Perfect,_ he thought as he wondered into the woods and walked amongst the trees, taking deep breaths and smiling at the scents that reached him.

 

Looking around to see if anyone was watching he slipped behind a tree and started rubbing his back against it, occasionally turning his head to scratch his scruffy beard against the bark. Once he was satisfied he moved on, smiling slightly to himself as he explored the woods. Finally he turned back and returned to his new home, standing in the kitchen area staring at nothing for a bit. He wasn't sure what to do next if he was being honest, he hadn't quite thought all the way through that part, just knowing he had to move. Checking his phone he saw that it was almost seven and decided to hike down the road to the diner he'd seen earlier and grab something to eat. Looking cautiously around when he was outside he darted into the woods and ran in the direction he knew the diner was, staying away from houses and roads, preferring to be alone as he ran. In no time he made it to the diner, not even panting or breaking a sweat as he entered.

 

The place had a real seventies feel to it, small yet quaint. The chairs and booths were red and white leather, bar stools at the counter the same. The floor was a checkerboard pattern of white and black tiles that shined as if they'd just been cleaned and the ceilings had those long fluorescent lights. The counter had the usual displays of pastries and bread, a small basket holding fresh rolls sat next to a stack of menus. All along the walls there were old photos and street signs, and sitting against a far wall was an old school jukebox. The place was mostly empty except for a few patrons here and there, a few older men and young couples and of course the chef and waiter. Jeremy took a seat taking in where all the exits were and where everyone was sat in relation to him. He offered the waiter a smile as he picked up a menu and scanned it.

 

"Haven't seen you around these parts before, you new?" the waiter asked in a friendly tone as he cleaned a glass. Jeremy glanced up and studied the man for a moment.

 

He was taller, and a big fellow, with glasses and reddish brown hair and a big bushy beard to match. He had a pleasant smile and greenish brown eyes that sparkled with friendliness, and Jeremy couldn't detect anything off or hostile about him so he in turn offered a smile and nodded.

 

"Yeah just moved into the Vinewood area earlier this morning. Fresh start you know?" he said. The waiter nodded and smiled.

 

"I hear you there. Get lots of folks looking for a new beginning here. Some stay, others leave. I hope you like it here and stop in whenever you can Mr...?" the waiter said extending a hand.

 

"Dooley, Jeremy Dooley," Jeremy said taking the hand. It had been so long since he'd encountered genuine friendliness from a stranger that he was a little shocked.

 

"Nice to meet you Jeremy Dooley. I'm Jack Pattillo. You're welcome here anytime you please," Jack said with a large smile that had Jeremy smiling too.

 

_He seems nice. Like really nice,_ he thought as he returned the pleasantries and returned to the menu.

 

He was pleasantly surprised to see a lot of meat options there and settled for a steak and some potatoes along with a beer. Jack wrote the order down and turned to the open window to the kitchen and slid the paper across to another man Jeremy hadn't noticed before. He too was tall, also sporting an impressive brown beard which he had carefully wrapped in a hairnet. He had tattoos all over his arms and hands and had friendly light blue eyes. Jeremy waited patiently as Jack filled a glass tankard with beer and slid it over to him.

 

"Help yourself to the bread there, it's fresh and I don't want to have to throw it out," Jack said gesturing towards the basket of bread.

 

Jeremy smiled and took one of the rolls and nibbled at it as he waited for his food to be finished. So many good smells filled the air but he was still wary, this was new territory after all and he was a stranger. He kept his ears perked for any out of place sounds while occasionally glancing into the reflective glass behind the counter to study his surroundings. He was always on edge when in a new place or around strangers, his distrust for the majority of people keeping him out of many bad situations throughout the years. If there was one lesson Jeremy took to heart that his mother had taught him, it was to always trust his instincts. And his instincts were rarely wrong.

 

He was shaken from his thoughts when Jack turned back to him and laid a plate full of delicious looking food on it in front of the lad. Jeremy thanked the man and dug into the food, nearly moaning with how good it tasted. As he ate he listened to everything going on around him, so he was well aware when the tall man entered the diner and took a seat at the far end of the bar. As the door was closing a breeze blew in, carrying smells from the outside air with it but there was something else there. Jeremy froze and his eyes widened as he glanced over at the tall man sitting at the counter. He looked fairly normal, jeans and a black T-shirt, sneakers and a faded red hat atop his head which he took off and set on the counter, revealing his sandy blonde hair. He had a scruffy face to match and blue eyes that were bluer than anything Jeremy had ever seen before. The tall man remained silent as he sat there until Jack waved at him, earning a courteous nod in return. He glanced Jeremy's way and the lad quickly returned to studying his food as he ate.

 

Jeremy hunched over his food, hoping the man wouldn't approach him or say anything. Something inside him told him he shouldn't interact with the tall stranger. An uneasy feeling filled the lad and he quickened his pace and he wolfed down his food before slapping a few bucks down on the counter and smiling at Jack before making a casual hasty retreat out the opposite exit so he wouldn't have to pass the tall man and confirm his fears. As soon as he was out of eyesight of the diner and road Jeremy darted into the trees and ran all the way home, anxiety building up in his chest. He ran through the front door and shut it quickly, locking it and then proceeded to shut every window and curtain in the house, turning on the small lamp in his room as he sat huddled on his sleeping bag. He had the terrible feeling that he was being watched and quickly took several breaths to calm himself.

 

"You're being silly Dooley, there's nothing out there trying to hurt you. You're just freaking out because some stranger..." his voice trailed off.

 

Why had he freaked out because of the stranger? Besides the obvious reasons he really shouldn't be worried, Los Santos was a big place and they'd prolly never run into each other again, or so he hoped. Jeremy looked at his phone and then glanced out the window to see the moon high and bright in the sky. He smiled and quietly made his way to the door and left his house, stealing away into the dark woods. Most people were afraid of the woods at night but Jeremy never once felt in danger there. The woods felt like home, like he belonged and was constantly called there, loving the sense of freedom as he ran through the dark. He smiled and laughed as the smells of the forest wafted into his nose and the wind blew past his face as he ran. He knew it probably wasn't a good idea to be out in the strange woods at night, that someone might see him but the lad didn't care. He stopped below a tree and looked around, seeing no one nearby and smiled. Looking up at the sky he slowly closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

 

_Let's do this!_ he thought.

 

He felt the change happening. His body didn't convulse anymore like it had the first few times, and it didn't hurt as much as his bones moved into different places and he fell to the ground on all fours now, and he felt fur popping up all over him. After a few moments he opened his eyes and smiled as the world changed for him. Now that he was fully transformed his vision changed to adjust for the darkness. He pawed at the ground and ran in a circle, chasing the tail that had sprouted behind him. With a happy yip he darted into the forest at full speed, exploring the land and enjoying his first night in new territory. He stopped by a small pond for a drink and looked down at his reflection.

 

The wolf staring back at him seemed to smile before Jeremy started lapping up the water, satisfying his thirst. He studied his reflection again, his curious brown eyes scanning over himself, looking for any imperfections in his coat. Satisfied that he was well groomed Jeremy looked up at the moon and smiled. He hadn't felt this alive for a long time. He felt a rumble start deep in his throat and work its way to his mouth, a howl releasing itself from his lips as he tilted his head back and sang his song to the moon. It had been so long since he'd felt safe enough to sing, missing the sweet sounds he made alone to the night.

 

All of a sudden, far in the distance he heard a sound that froze his blood. His eyes widened and he backed up, ears pressed back to his head as he crouched low to the ground. The sound echoed in his mind as fear crept into his heart.

 

Another howl.

 

To humans the howling may have sounded creepy or lovely, but to Jeremy it brought fear into his heart because unlike humans he understood what the howls meant. The howl that returned to him was deeper than his so it was a more mature, older male wolf. The distance was far and the howl faint, but the words were quite distinct to Jeremy.

 

" _Who's there?_ "

 

Turning away and running as fast as his paws could cary him, Jeremy returned to his home and locked the doors. He panted as he tried to catch his breath but felt the fear tightening in his chest. He'd marked a perimeter around his home before entering just to ward off any intruders. His mind wondered back to the diner earlier that day when the tall stranger had entered. He remembered the scent of the man had carried something strange with it, and now he wondered if he'd smelled a wolf. He hadn't smelled any other wolves in the area or in the diner but they could be disguising their scent. He barely got any sleep that night as dreams of wolves running from hunters, children crying in fear, and piercingly blue eyes filled his mind. He whimpered in his sleep as he was chased by shouting men and women holding torches and pitchforks.

 

 

 

Several miles away another wolf stared in the direction of the howl he'd heard. He'd been surprised at first by the sound, shocked that there was another wolf in the area, let alone a young male with such a charming song. It had been awhile since the wolf had sung his own song, seeing no reason to as throughout the years the replies he'd gotten back slowly faded until he sang alone and then not at all. He was so eager to connect to another song, desperate for that sense of companionship that he'd replied, forgetting that his deep voice was ill used so most of the words caught in his throat before his question escaped. He'd listened intently for a reply, hoping against hope that he'd get one, but none came. He'd tried again but no response reached his ears. The wolf hung his head and sniffled before snapping his head back up and taking long whiffs of air, hoping the wind was in his favor. He picked up the scent of a young wolf and followed it eagerly.

 

The wolf ran through the darkness till he reached the Vinewood woods. He nodded as he looked around, admiring the view. He'd never been over here, having always stuck to his territory. He scented the young wolf again and surged forward until the scent of a territory marker overwhelmed his nostrils. He leaned down to the ground and sniffed, memorizing the scent of the mark so he'd know the territory of the new wolf. It was a strong scent, carrying a sweet tinge to it that was quite pleasant to the wolf. To his eyes the scent trail looked like a wispy purple cloud that snaked along the trail before leading forward. He smiled and looked up, seeing a house not too far away. The lights were off and it looked abandoned but he crept forward anyway. He hopped up onto his hind legs and peered through the first window, seeing several pieces of furniture but no signs of life.

 

He frowned and slipped over to the next window, peering in and smiling as he spied a small form lying on a sleeping bag. The figure seemed to be having a rough time sleeping and the wolf tilted his head curiously. He'd seen other wolves before, hell he'd even had a pack before, but that was long ago. Young wolves were rare to see nowadays, in this area anyway, and his curiosity grew. Who was this lad? Where did he come from? What was his name? The wolf watched as the small figure tossed and turned before rolling onto his side facing the window. A slight moment of fear entered the wolf's mind as he fell to the ground, hoping he hadn't been seen. He waited a few moments before standing again and rising to his hind legs to peer through the window once more. The lad's face was contorted like he was having a nightmare and the faint sound of a whimper reached the wolf's ears. He felt the natural need to nuzzle against the sleeping lad and comfort him but he knew he couldn't do that. He had a pleasant human form, strong looking arms, soft face, scruffy brown beard and goatee. The wolf smiled before slipping back to the ground and heading home.

 

When he'd finally reached the outskirts of his block he ducked into an alley and transformed back into his human form, slipping down the street quietly and entering the large building, taking the elevator to the penthouse floor and slipping quietly into the apartment and down the hall to his room. He fell into bed, one arm resting on his stomach and the other arched over his forehead as he stared at the ceiling, thoughts running a mile a minute in his mind. He wasn't sure how he felt about this new wolf. On one hand he was overjoyed that there was someone like him in the area, on the other he felt slight anger that the city he'd so carefully made his territory now had another wolf in it, a wolf that could endanger himself or both of them. Young wolves were stupid and usually didn't last long in places like Los Santos. Then again, he kind of wanted to meet the new wolf, wanted to talk to him and become friends. But would the youngster be afraid of him? Everyone else was so why not this lad? The more and more the man thought the worse and worse he felt before he snarled and rolled over, closing his eyes and trying his best to fall asleep, dreams of being in a pack filling his mind.


	3. Bank Scare!

The morning brought about many surprises to Jeremy. He scented a strange wolf near his house and felt a sense of fear at first before realizing that it was an old scent and his territory markers were undisturbed. That surprised him, that at least one other wolf lived in Los Santos and that it had sought him out and respected his territory. The scent was musky and strong, the scent of an older male, maybe the one that had called to him last night. The scent trail, though faint, to his eyes looked like a blue misty cloud that weaved its way through the trees before it faded. The second surprise came when he found wolf tracks outside his bedroom window, large paw prints both on the ground and on the windowsill. He was nervous and a bit creeped out that a wolf had watched him sleep, that he'd been so close during the night. He shivered both from fear and slight excitement that other wolves lived in Los Santos, even if they were normal wolves! He still was wary and wanted to keep his distance for now but the thought of not being alone brought hope to his heart.

 

He debated about going back to Jack's diner for breakfast but chose against it, eating a peanut butter sandwich instead. He called an Uber and soon he was in the heart of Los Santos on his way to the Maze Bank to make an account and transfer his money here so he could access it more easily. The streets were filled with people and his heightened senses were on overdrive, human scent everywhere and sounds of traffic, talking and the occasional gunshot reached his ears. He'd known coming into this that Los Santos was one of the more dangerous cities to live in, the crime rate through the roof, but it was better than nothing so he gritted his teeth and pushed forward, trying not to flinch at the sounds of distant gunfire.

 

The Maze Bank was the largest in the city, and that worried Jeremy slightly. It would be a prime target for any criminals that wanted to score big. He hoped that his money would at least stay safe, considering moving to a smaller bank with less attention on it. He sighed and shrugged as he walked through the front doors. There were security guards and cameras everywhere as well as people in line at the tellers booths. Jeremy waited patiently, hoping it wouldn't take too long for the process to go through so he could go about his day. He made a mental note to also go grocery shopping so he wouldn't have to keep going out for food or eat sandwiches forever. The lines moved slowly and his frustrations grew the closer and closer he got to the front. He growled when he heard a particularly troublesome civilian giving the bank teller a hard time and winced at the woman's high shrill voice that hurt his ears. Finally he was only three places away from having his turn when the air seemed to change. The hairs on his arms stood up and he felt uneasiness creep into him. He glanced around but saw nothing out of the ordinary, sniffed the air but nothing smelled off. Still, his instincts were never wrong.

 

He sighed as he stepped out of line and walked to the bathroom. If something were about to go down he'd just wait it out in there and then come out after all the chaos was done. He really did not want to risk getting involved in a squabble with gangs or cops, at least not this early in the morning. As he entered the empty bathroom he heard screams and shouts, and gunfire.

 

"Go fucking figure," he said as he stood in front of the mirror. He studied his reflection, remembering the pond the night before.

 

He smiled, thinking about being full wolf and running through the forest. That was what he was meant to do, just run free always. How he loved the thrill of it all. Seeing his human form made him wish he was back in those woods, hunting, running, singing. So deep in though was he that he didn't notice the shouting growing closer until the door flew open. He jumped in surprise and found himself staring at a young man only a few years older than himself with red curly hair and freckles. He wore glasses over brown eyes, blue jeans, and a brown jacket zipped over a T-shirt Jeremy couldn't make out. The lad had a pistol in his hand which he had leveled at Jeremy's chest. Jeremy felt fear fill him at the sight and his eyes widened, his chest tightening. Slowly he raised his hands in a passive posture.

 

"Easy there pal, there's no need for that," he said slowly. The lad scoffed.

 

"Kinda necessary for a bank heist moron!" he said though there was a slight hint of amusement there. Jeremy perked up at the sound of the lad's voice.

 

"New Jersey?" he asked. The lad raised an eyebrow. "Your accent. I recognize it. I'm from Boston myself."

 

The lad studied Jeremy for a moment before shaking his head and sighing.

 

"You look like a nice guy so I'm gonna be honest with you. I'm not gonna pull this trigger unless you do something stupid. Let's just take a nice walk out to the lobby where the other hostages are and then once we're done here the cops will come in and set you all straight," he said. Jeremy swallowed.

 

"I could just...maybe, stay in here? If that's okay. That was my plan anyway, just avoid all the fucking drama," he chuckled nervously, eyes darting from the gun to the lad.

 

"Wait! How did you know we were coming asshole?" the lad exclaimed aiming the gun again at Jeremy's chest.

 

"Something just felt off. I always trust my gut and it told me not to be in the lobby," Jeremy said quickly, eyes frozen on the gun.

 

The lad glared at Jeremy for a moment before shrugging and walking forward, Jeremy instinctively taking a step back. The lad rolled his eyes as he reached out and tugged Jeremy forward by his shirt, pushing him out the bathroom door and towards the lobby area. Jeremy wasn't surprised, he hadn't expected his negotiations to work, he'd always been bad at that. The lad led him to the side of the front counter with the least amount of people before gently pushing Jeremy to the floor and then ziptying his wrists together. Jeremy snorted.

 

 _If only he knew that I could snap these without blinking an eye,_ he thought, knowing he was stronger than this kid or the zip ties.

 

He watched as several more men stepped into view, one with crazy golden hair and sunglasses who smiled at the lad who'd brought Jeremy in.

 

"Micoo you found another one!" golden hair exclaimed in a British accent.

 

"Yeah I sniffed him out, hiding in the bathroom," Jeremy's captor said with a laugh and glanced down at him.

 

 _Sniffed me out? Could this guy be the wolf I heard last night or the one that was at my house?_ Jeremy wondered but remained silent, studying both men and the lobby itself, thinking of a way to escape. He was strong and quick he could probably make it out of here if he tried.

 

Suddenly another figure appeared and Jeremy felt his heart stop at the sight. The man was tall and imposing. He wore jeans and a black leather jacket with blue shoulders and white stripes along the sleeves. What really caught his eye though was the black skull mask the man wore. The mask seemed to stare at Jeremy, seemed to pierce his very soul. He whimpered in fear and edged back as much as he could. His fear sense was lighting up and alarms were going off in his head. This was a dangerous man, a killer; Jeremy could smell the blood and death on the man along with the scent of gunpowder. Jeremy noticed the other hostages trembled in fear when they saw the man.

 

The tall masked man seemed to straighten up at the sound of Jeremy's whimper and he walked forward until he stood over the lad, making him feel smaller than he already was. On instinct Jeremy lowered his head and averted his eyes, as he would've done had the man been an alpha in his pack. Not only was it a sign of submission, it was a sign of respect. The tall man squatted in front of Jeremy and stared at him, the empty eyes of the skull mask terrifying. Jeremy swallowed and did his best not to make eye contact, yelping in surprise when the man gripped him roughly by the chin and forced him to face the mask. Jeremy's lip trembled in fear but he glared into the eyes, challenging the man now. He knew he was stronger than this human, knew also that he didn't understand wolf communication so he wasn't afraid to issue a challenge. The man chuckled, a low, deep sound.

 

"I like this one, he's got a fire in his eyes," he said, voice muffled by the mask.

 

"Stop fucking with the hostages Vagabond and get your ass back to guarding them!" the red headed lad barked.

 

The man chuckled and released Jeremy's face before straightening up and looking down at him. The man turned and stepped away, resuming his place guarding the hostages, Jeremy trying not to tremble.

 

"You're so fucking creepy," the British one said to the masked man who just shrugged, turning to stare at Jeremy.

 

 _Why does he keep looking at me?_ Jeremy wondered as he tilted his head slightly, staring back at the masked man. There was something off about the man's scent, but Jeremy had no way of detecting the original smell through all the gore smell the man had surrounding him.

 

That was another thing too, he couldn't scent any of the criminals! They still had scent obviously, but their true scent was masked either by gore like the Vagabond, or by heavy use of cologne, Jeremy's sensitive nose nearly screaming in protest from the assault of smells that wafted around him, along with the strong sense of fear he picked up from the humans held hostage.

 

"Alright dipshits! Time to move out! Grab a hostage for safe measures," a tall man in a suit ordered as he walked out from a door. Jeremy's eyes widened when he caught the scent of the man, the slightest hint of fried meat. Was this the chef from Jack's diner? Why was he here robbing a bank?

 

The other men whooped as they each grabbed a hostage and headed for the door, the masked man suddenly standing in front of Jeremy, staring down at him with what Jeremy could only imagine was a dangerous smile.

 

"You're coming with me runt!" the man said and grabbed Jeremy by the front of his shirt and yanked him roughly to his feet, wrapping an arm around the lad's throat as he led them forward towards the bank entrance.

 

Jeremy swallowed the best he could and tried not to panic. If he panicked he'd wolf out as a defense measure and he couldn't do that here in the middle of the city, and especially not in front of this criminal, a human. The man, Vagabond the others had called him, led Jeremy through the doors, police there with weapons drawn but refusing to risk shooting him.

 

 _Thank god!_ he thought as he was hauled towards an alley. He knew that as soon as they were out of sight he could kick this guy's ass and get away. The Vagabond felt strong and just as a test he struggled a bit.

 

The Vagabond growled in his ear and tightened his grip on Jeremy, the lad feeling the sheer power of the man behind him. If the situation wasn't so dangerous and bleak Jeremy might've found it quite arousing but he couldn't think about that right now. He test struggled again a bit harder and again the Vagabond snarled in his ear.

 

"I know what you're doing so let me just save you some time and tell you it won't fucking work. You may think you're strong pup, but I'm much, much stronger," he said.

 

 _Pup? Does he know somehow? Is he the other wolf? I can't imagine he is, this guy would've killed me in my sleep if he'd been the wolf,_ Jeremy thought before relaxing slightly to show he wouldn't fight.

 

"Good boy. Now usually I kill my hostages, but I'm intrigued by you so I think I'll just keep you for a bit," the Vagabond said in a slightly coaxing voice. Jeremy tensed up.

 

"I'd rather you didn't pal, I've got groceries to get and my Xbox sure as fuck isn't going to play itself," he said scrambling to think of some way to escape. The man behind him chuckled and soon Jeremy saw a black motorcycle come into view.

 

The man pulled Jeremy tightly against him so that the lad's back was pressed firmly against his front. Jeremy felt the man reach around front of him and his eyes widened when he saw that the hand held a large knife. He watched in horror as the knife lowered and let out a breath when he felt the ziptie binding his wrists snap. The Vagabond released him but quickly slammed him painfully into a wall back first, his breath leaving him. He looked up at the man pinning him against the wall with one hand pressed firmly to his chest as he stared down at the smaller man. Jeremy grunted and shifted, the Vagabond growling lowly and forcing him to be still.

 

"Stay still or I will hurt you," he hissed. Jeremy glared up at him.

 

"Oh bite me bitch!" he shot back.

 

"Tempting offer shorty, but I've already fed today. Plus I'm sure you don't taste very good," Vagabond countered.

 

"You're an asshole you know that?" Jeremy scowled. The Vagabond chuckled and looked at him for a moment. He leaned closer and Jeremy closed his eyes, tensing up as the masked face grew closer. He heard a long breath being drawn from the Vagabond and slowly opened his eyes. The Vagabond's face was still close but was starting to retreat after another breath. It took Jeremy a moment to realize that the man was smelling him.

 

"You smell nice," he finally said and released Jeremy before turning his back on the confused lad, hopping on his motorcycle and taking off.

 

Jeremy was beyond confused and understandably creeped out. He thought he'd been dead multiple times or that the Vagabond was going to do something horrible to him. He took a shaky breath and stumbled forward until he reached the street. He pulled out his phone and called an Uber to come pick him up and soon he was back in Vinewood, walking up his driveway and into his house. He leaned against the door once inside and slid down till he was sitting. He was shaking, both from fear and...excitement? That was strange, he should be terrified! He'd been taken hostage by a murderer. A very flirty murderer it seemed. Was that really flirting? Or was it just the man being nice? He felt himself blushing by the thought of the criminal's strong arms wrapped around him, holding him tightly against his chest. He shook his head and sighed, rubbing his face. Jeremy was so confused and leaned his head back against the door. Today was just a weird day.

 

 

 

Across town at the tallest apartment building, the Vagabond walked through the door of the penthouse and was instantly bombarded.

 

"What took you so long asshole?"

 

"Where've you been you sausage?"

 

"You weren't fucking that hostage were you?"

 

"We almost divided your cut between all of us."

 

He rolled his eyes under his mask and snatched the sack of money one of the men held out to him before nodding and walking to his room, shutting and locking the door. He sighed and pulled off his mask and jacket before collapsing on his bed, tossing the bag of money onto his desk. He stared up at the ceiling for a long time before he heard a knock at his door. He intentionally waited until a second and third knock sounded before getting up and putting on his mask again, opening the door to see his boss standing there.

 

"We need to talk Vagabond," he said and pushed his way into the Vagabond's room. Vagabond rolled his eyes and closed the door, leaning against it and crossing his arms, staring at his boss the Kingpin.

 

"What was with you today? You were off before the heist and even more so now. What's going on bud?" the Kingpin asked gently as he perched on the edge of Vagabond's bed. Vagabond shrugged.

 

"Don't do that! Stop shutting me out Vagabond okay? I'm here for you but I need you to be there for me too okay? I know you're the quiet type but I need you to talk to me. Is this going to be a problem that affects how you perform in the future?" Kingpin asked. Vagabond stood there for a minute before sighing. He reached up and took off his mask and looked back up at his boss, his black, red and white skull face paint somehow more terrifying than the skull mask.

 

"No, it won't affect my work Geoff," he said in a deep baritone.

 

"What's wrong bud? Something's going on and it's messing with you I can see that much," Geoff asked.

 

"It's nothing," Vagabond said softly. Geoff looked sad but nodded.

 

"Well, I'm sorry you don't feel like you can talk to me. If you ever change your mind, you know where to find me," he said and pushed past Vagabond, closing the door behind him.

 

Vagabond squeezed his eyes closed and groaned before falling onto his bed. Why did he always do this? He never talked to his crew, never let them in. He wanted to trust them, did to an extent, but something held him back. What would they think of him if they found out his dark secrets and thoughts? Gavin was already terrified of him and the others thought he was creepy enough. He stared up at the ceiling and wondered what was going on with him. When he'd scented the younger wolf in the bank he'd followed the trail until he saw the little guy huddled in the corner, the same lad he'd heard singing in the night. It was like his dark side took over then and all he could do was stare at the youngster, examine him as if he'd never seen another creature like him. He'd thought he was protecting the lad by taking him as a personal hostage, saving him time spent with the cops answering all their questions and shit. Instead he'd probably freaked the poor kid out, he didn't even catch his name. Vagabond groaned and looked out his window, wondering if the young wolf would run in the woods tonight, carefree and happy. He whimpered slightly, hoping that he'd run into the lad again and make up for screwing everything up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took a million fucking years to get out, been busy with life stuff. Have one more draft ready after this before I gotta five back into writing, and I’m thinking about changing a few things in the draft so I thank you in advance for your patience.


	4. My Turf!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jeremy encounters a big bad wolf in the woods...

Jeremy once again found himself in the city, this time buying a car that he could use instead of paying for an Uber each and every time he wanted to leave his house, not that he couldn't run faster he just wanted to feel normal. The scare at the bank still had him a bit shaken and his mind was constantly wandering to black skull masks and the scent of death. Normally the smell turned him off except when it involved food, but somehow it just added to the mystery that was the Vagabond. Once the car was bought and tags were purchased, Jeremy went to the nearest supermarket and gathered supplies to keep him decently fed for the next week. Back at home he loaded the pantry and refrigerator up with the food. Once done he looked around his house and sighed. He was going to need to repaint the walls, the beige color making him ill.

 

"One more thing to add to the list. Welcome to adult life Dooley," he muttered.

 

He spent the better part of the afternoon mowing the yard and trimming any bushes on his property, also re-scenting his territory marks and expanding, claiming more ground as his. Humans wouldn't know or respect his territory but any of the wildlife and that other wolf would, hopefully. He sat on a stump outside his house resting, shirt off and beer in hand. He looked out into the woods and felt their pull on him, their call. He smiled and set his beer down before taking off into the woods, laughing as he ran. He refused to go full wolf while it was still daylight unless it was an emergency but he could still enjoy the feeling of wind rushing by his face as he ran. It was half the reason he kept his beard, so it would feel somewhat like the wind running through his fur. He lay down in some grass and stared up at the sky, daydreaming. His thoughts went back to his family and his heart ached to see them again, even though he knew that could never happen.

 

 _They're the reason you're alone,_ he thought to himself. He closed his eyes and remembered.

 

 

He was only sixteen when they first discovered that he was part wolf. His first transformation was painful and no one knew what was wrong with him, just that he didn't feel well. His parents had left him alone for a bit and that's when he turned, looking around his room confused until he heard the door open. He'd tried to talk to his dad but the man completely freaked out, though Jeremy couldn't blame him he probably would've too had their roles been reversed. Jeremy's mother was the greatest help, knowing a thing or two about wolves. However her experience was with normal wolves, not the kind that could turn into humans so what little advice she could offer she did. Eventually the stress of having a wolf for a son got to his parents and he was banished from the only pack he'd ever known. He'd been alone since he was eighteen, a lone wolf. He still loved his family but knew it was for the best that he wasn't there.

 

Jeremy opened his eyes but his vision was blurry and he wiped the tears out of his eyes. He needed to distract himself with something. Running home and taking a quick shower he turned on his Xbox and played a few rounds of Boarderlands and then Spyro on his old PlayStation he'd kept packed away, his go to game to calm down. When dinner time rolled around he decided to visit Jack again and see how the man was doing. He also wanted to see if the man he'd seen robbing the bank really was the chef. Walking down the trail he made it just in time for the dinner hour, the small diner more busy than the last time which made him slightly uneasy. He walked in and Jack's face lit up with a smile when he spotted the lad, waving him over.

 

"Well if it isn't Mr. Dooley! Glad to see you back, it's been awhile!" Jack greeted when Jeremy sat down.

 

"Evening Jack, how've you been?" Jeremy returned with a smile. The two exchanged pleasantries before Jeremy ordered his meal and watched carefully as Jack wrote it down and slid it behind the window. His eyes widened when he saw the tattooed man and caught a brief whiff of his scent, recognizing him as the suited man from the bank heist.

 

He felt his nerves tense and his senses automatically heightened to search for danger. He had trouble discerning individual smells due to so many scents mixing together in one place along with the mouth watering scent of meat cooking. He kept his head down and averted his gaze from the chef, hoping the man wouldn't recognize him. After a bit his food was set before him and he dug in, eager to finish and leave. A movement to his right caught his eye and he glanced in the direction, freezing at the sight of the tall stranger he'd seen the last time he was in here. His heart beat faster and he quickly snapped his gaze back to his plate when the man glanced his way, offering a charming smile. As he ate he concentrated harder on his hearing, focusing on the stranger at the end of the bar. His heart was also beating quickly, why Jeremy had no idea. He tried to distinguish the man's scent from the others in here but it was over powered by the other smells. Finally finishing and thanking Jack, Jeremy darted out the door and back to the woods, quickening his pace as he ran. He had the feeling that he was being watched and it creeped him out. He was just rounding a tree when he felt strong hands grab him and pull him back, one hand covering his mouth while the other pinned him tightly to the front of his assailant. Jeremy struggled and screamed but the other was stronger than he which surprised him, not many humans were stronger than a wolf like him.

 

"I'm going to let go, and you're going to keep your muzzle shut. Got it?" a deep voice hissed in his ear. He growled but nodded slowly and just as slowly, the hand slipped from his mouth. The arm around him dropped away and Jeremy whirled around, teeth bared and ready to fight should the need arise.

 

Facing him was the man who'd taken him as a human shield the day before, still dressed in his leather jacket and black skull mask. The Vagabond snorted and crossed his arms over his chest as he tilted his head and studied Jeremy.

 

"Please, a pup like you wouldn't last five seconds. Give it a rest shorty," the Vagabond said lowly. Jeremy glared at him.

 

"You wanna bet on that pal? I've kicked the ass of tougher looking chumps than you many a time," he growled.

 

"You've got spirit, that's for sure. Either you're brave or you're a fucking idiot," Vagabond said still studying the lad.

 

"How do you reckon that asshole?" Jeremy spat. The Vagabond stepped closer until their chests almost touched, Jeremy's breath hitching slightly.

 

"Not many people have the balls to stand up to me, let alone look me in the eye," he said.

 

"Easy to look you in the eye when I can't see it. Seriously, what's with the mask? You look like a super villain idea that got rejected," Jeremy scoffed. Vagabond leaned back and huffed.

 

"I thought it looked pretty cool. And scary," he muttered.

 

"I've seen things a lot scarier than you pal," Jeremy countered.

 

"Oh really? Cause I can be quite terrifying," Vagabond said in a dark voice and leaned close to Jeremy again. The lad swallowed and tried to take a step backwards but Vagabond gripped him tightly by the arm and yanked him back.

 

"You leave when I give you permission to leave," he growled. Jeremy snorted and yanked his arm free, turning his back on the man and walking away.

 

In hindsight he probably shouldn't have turned his back on the most feared and dangerous criminal in the state, but how was he to know those things about Vagabond, they'd just met yesterday. He didn't even hear the man approach him but felt the hand grip his neck and all of a sudden he was being slammed into the ground and pinned there, a knee pressed painfully into his stomach. He gasped for breath as Vagabond glared down at him.

 

"Let me make this perfectly clear to you young one. This is my territory. These streets are mine, these people are mine, this city is mine. You're new here so I'm going to give you some advise free of charge, go where I don't want you to be or interfere with my business and I will put you down like a dog. Understood?" the deep voice snarled.

 

Jeremy's eyes widened as he stared up at the man. He didn't want to turn here, but he might have to in order to defend himself. He glanced around and saw that there was no one around and they were far enough in the woods that the man's screams wouldn't be heard. He looked up at the Vagabond and smiled.

 

"Buddy, you've picked the wrong guy to threaten," he said before throwing his knees up into Vagabond's sides, tossing the man off him with a pained grunt.

 

Jeremy leapt to his feet and closed his eyes, feeling raw power surge through him. The transformation was quicker than normal and soon he stood there on all fours, full wolf and turned to glare at the Vagabond. The man stood there, calm and still, not reacting whatsoever to seeing the man he'd just attacked turn into a wolf before his eyes. Jeremy didn't even hear his heart beat quicken.

 

 _What the fuck?!_ Jeremy thought. The Vagabond just stood there, arms crossed. A strange sound reached his ears then and at first Jeremy couldn't place it, until he noticed the Vagabond's shoulders were shaking.

 

 _Is he fucking laughing?_ he thought. Then his nose picked up a scent. His eyes widened.

 

"No fucking way!" he exclaimed as the man in front of him transformed himself into a large wolf.

 

Jeremy's jaw went slack as he stared at the wolf that stood facing him. His fur was light brown with some black mixed in. He was tall and looked incredibly strong. He stared intently at Jeremy with the bluest eyes he'd ever seen. But the thing Jeremy noticed about the wolf was his scent. It was misty and blue, exactly the same one as the wolf who'd been calling to him a few nights ago.

 

"You," he breathed. The other wolf smiled and darted away into the woods, Jeremy snapping out of his daze and following.

 

The two chased each other, yipping and barking happily as they played their game of chase. He had so many questions for the older wolf. Several times he lost sight of the older male but followed his scent until the wolf came into view. Finally the two stopped by a small river, lapping at the water to refresh themselves, Jeremy stealing glances at the larger wolf every now and then.

 

"See something you like?" the other chuckled. He had a deep calming voice, causing Jeremy to blush under his fur.

 

"Sorry. It's just that I haven't encountered anyone like me before," he said. The older nodded as he continued to lap at the water.

 

"It's been awhile since I've heard singing like yours in these woods," he said softly. Jeremy went silent, knowing what it was like to be alone.

 

"There are others?" he asked. Even if they were just normal wolves it would be better than nothing. Vagabond paused and sighed before he turned back into his human form and sat back, looking sadly up at the stars.

 

"Were. They were young and stupid and paid the price. I tend to keep to myself and stay hidden from the humans, at least in my wolf form," he said. Jeremy nodded, also transforming back to his human form, another question begging to be asked in his mind. He ignored it for now as another popped into his head.

 

"You're the fucking Vagabond?! You piece of shit why didn't you tell me? And that whole mess at the bank the other day, you knew!" he exclaimed. Vagabond chuckled and raised his head smiling at the younger man.

 

"I caught your scent the day you moved here. I was surprised to catch wind of it in the bank," he said simply, no harshness or malice in his tone.

 

"You were outside my house the other night, after you called to me," Jeremy said. Vagabond looked embarrassed.

 

"I wanted to meet you, sorry if I creeped you out I just wanted to see where you lived," he apologized.

 

 _The Vagabond is apologizing? To me??_ Jeremy thought before replying.

 

"I guess it's no problem, I'm still breathing so you weren't trying to kill me. It's nice knowing I'm not alone out here," he smiled.

 

"What's your name?" Vagabond asked suddenly as he sat up and gazed at Jeremy with those blue eyes of his.

 

"Uh, Jeremy," the lad replied. Vagabond smiled.

 

"It's a nice name," he said causing Jeremy to blush.

 

"And yours? I can't just go calling you Vagabond all the time," Jeremy asked. The other wolf hesitated before answering.

 

"I've never told anyone else my name And I sorta can't because of the job. Just call me Vagabond for now," he said almost warningly but Jeremy sensed a hint of hesitation and fear. He nodded.

 

"Thanks, I don't want to seem like I don't trust you, it just takes awhile for me to warm up to new people," he said. Jeremy nodded and smiled.

 

"I understand, I'm the same a bit," he said hoping that Vagabond wouldn't feel uncomfortable.

 

"Why were you slinking about?" the older wolf asked suddenly, tilting his head. Jeremy tensed up.

 

"I just had an uncomfortable feeling that something was following me. Someone. Turns out I was right," he said scowling up at Vagabond.

 

"I'm not apologizing for stalking an interesting person around," the older wolf said. Jeremy laughed.

 

"I'm flattered. No it wasn't you I had the feeling about. Some guy at a diner I've seen a few times. Kinda gives off a creepy feeling," he shrugged, not wanting to admit that the guy was also hot as fuck.

 

"Oh? A creepster huh? Bet he's never even seen a wolf before, let alone a Wolfblood like you," Vagabond said. Jeremy froze and looked up at the older man.

 

"What did you just say?" he asked.

 

"That he's a creeper?" Vagabond asked tilting his head.

 

"No doof the other part!" Jeremy exclaimed rolling his eyes.

 

"Wolfblood?" Vagabond asked.

 

"Yeah, that! What the hell is a Wolfblood?" he asked. Vagabond stared at him.

 

"You really don't know do you?" he asked softly. Jeremy tilted his head confused.

 

"Wolfblood is what you are Jeremy. What we are," the gent explained.

 

"I thought we were Werewolves. Which confused me cause I never remember getting bit by one," Jeremy said. Vagabond stared at him for a moment before bursting out into laugher and nearly fell over.

 

"Wow! Just...holy shit wow!" he giggled. Jeremy felt his face heating.

 

"You done asshole?" he muttered.

 

"Sorry. It's just...damn you have a lot to learn!" Vagabond gasped for breath and smiled.

 

"Well it's not like I had people to teach me this shit now did I?" Jeremy growled.

 

"Easy cub, don't get your fur all frazzled. I'll teach you," the older wolf smiled as he started to walk away.

 

Jeremy huffed indignantly at the cub insult but followed the Vagabond until they were both in a clearing and could see the stars and moon better. Jeremy smiled as he looked up, remembering all the times he'd gaze up at those stars and wish he wasn't alone. Now he wasn't.

 

"First of all, Werewolves are a superstitious, made up story humans came up with because they couldn't explain our existence. That along with fear and there you go, one long running myth that has haunted Wolfblood kind since the beginning," Vagabond began, also staring up at the stars.

 

"Really?" Jeremy asked with wide eyes.

 

"Really. And you weren't bitten, that's not how that works. Another myth the humans made up. You were born this way, you're about as normal as they come," Vagabond chuckled and looked down at the younger wolf.

 

That was news to Jeremy. His eyes widened and he felt it hard to breath, tears coming to his eyes. All his life he'd been called a freak, and he even believed it, wondering why he couldn't be normal like other people. Now he knew, he was normal!

 

"First time ever hearing that?" Vagabond asked gently. Jeremy just nodded.

 

"Look around you, all the things you used to think were flaws or what made you a freak, heightened senses, quickened speed, strength, even your ability to heal when you turn wolf, all those things are normal. They're what make you unique. Special," the Vagabond continued. Jeremy did look around and it was like seeing for the first time.

 

All the sounds of the forest and city, the smells that he could always smell when humans couldn't, everything he was...it was like experiencing it for the first time with a new perspective.

 

"Whoa!" he breathed. Vagabond smiled again.

 

"Pretty cool huh?" he asked nudging his shoulder against Jeremy's. The lad nodded and smiled up at the gent.

 

"Thank you," he said voice trembling slightly. Vagabond understood, he remembered what it was like.

 

"It's...kind of nice having someone to share these things with," he said and looked away.

 

"So...what now?" Jeremy asked. The Vagabond turned back and tilted his head. "What happens next I mean."

 

"I'm not sure. It's been awhile since I've had a pack of my own, one of Wolfbloods anyway," the gent said.

 

"Does your crew know? About you?" Jeremy asked hesitantly.

 

"No. They already think I'm creepy enough, are scared of me," Vagabond sighed and shook his head.

 

"Gee, I wonder why Mr. Murders Everyone He Can," Jeremy chuckled and bumped the man's shoulder. The gent remained silent.

 

"Sorry, I didn't mean to sound like a dick," Jeremy said quickly.

 

"No, you're right. It's just not as simple as all that," Vagabond said.

 

"What do you mean?"

 

"I'll tell you some other time. It's late and we both have to be functioning adults tomorrow," the gent said and stood, transforming back to wolf form.

 

"Ugh don't remind me!" Jeremy whined as he stood, transforming as well and faced the older wolf.

 

"I uh, hope we can see each other again soon Jeremy. It's been great having someone to share this part of my life with," Vagabond said sheepishly, Jeremy finding it absolutely adorable.

 

"Well, with the way this city is I'm sure you'll hold me hostage soon enough. Still a little pissed at you for that by the way," Jeremy teased.

 

"How could I not?" Vagabond exclaimed defensively.

 

"Vagabond, there were so many hostages there!" Jeremy smiled. The older man grinned and turned to leave, hesitating.

 

He turned back and to Jeremy's surprise nuzzled up against the smaller wolf, a sign of affection he wasn't expecting before taking off into the night. Jeremy stood there speechless before snapping out of his shock and smiling. He walked home and returned to human form, pausing at the door and looking out into the woods. Throwing his head back he howled, a happy note that had been building up in his chest. After a moment a distant howl returned, the response making him smile.

 

" _Goodnight Wolfblood._ "


	5. He’s a Threat

The next few days were a busy blur for Jeremy as he went about buying furniture and things to make his new house feel more like a home. He managed to build the entertainment center, his computer desk, and his kitchen table and chair set without too much hassle, and managed to get the Xbox hooked up to the new tv. He wasn't sure how he wanted to decorate the interior of his place, so he went out and bought a couple bookshelves and some books he'd loved reading or had always wanted to read. He struggled with assembling the bed but eventually, and with enough expletives growled in frustration, he managed to get the thing sturdy and safe enough to sleep on, no more sleeping on the floor. A dresser followed and with that the prospect of clothes shopping!

 

He'd always enjoyed shopping for new outfits, always loved the idea of new ways to present himself. He decided to go clothes shopping one day and once again found himself in the heart of Los Santos at a small, hole in the wall clothing store. He looked around at the clothing options trying to decide what his new look would be. Spying a shirt, pants and blazer, his eyes lit up and he grabbed them and headed to the changing room. A few minutes later he strutted proudly out and smiled at his reflection in the mirror. He noticed the cashier glance up at him and grimace, his heightened hearing picking up the muttered voice.

 

"What a hideous outfit! It completely clashes."

 

Jeremy looked back at himself and smiled. The decision was made. He changed back into his original clothes and took his new outfit along with a few other items up to the register. The cashier looked at him strangely as she scanned the clothes.

 

"Are you sure this is the outfit you want?" she asked.

 

"Of course, it looks great!" Jeremy smiled widely.

 

"You're kidding, right?" the lady asked.

 

"No. Why what's wrong with it?" Jeremy asked. The lady stared at him for a moment before sighing and shaking her head, a small smile playing across her face.

 

"You have a weird fashion sense my friend," she said as she handed Jeremy his receipt and bags. He thanked her and walked out of the store, excited to wear his new clothes.

 

Deciding to drop by Jack's diner again he pulled into the parking lot as the sun began to set and pulled on the cowboy hat he'd purchased, a white Stetson that he'd fallen in love with. Stepping through the door he smiled and waved at Jack who stood behind the counter. The man waved back with a smile as the lad sat down, noticing the emptiness of the place.

 

"Slow day?" he asked.

 

"Like you wouldn't believe! Although it is kind of nice having some quiet time," Jack said with a smile, but Jeremy detected a hit of sadness behind it.

 

"Well I for one think your diner is awesome!" he smiled as he reached for a menu, Jack blushing at the compliment.

 

"That reminds me, I've been keeping these warm all day but no one's come in to buy any. Do me a favor and take em off my hands?" the man asked as he laid several small cakes in front of Jeremy. The lad's eyes bulged out of his head and he stared up at Jack trying to detect if the man was joking.

 

"S-sure, how much?" he asked as he reached for his wallet. Jack reached out a hand and stopped Jeremy.

 

"It's on the house Jeremy. I don't want them to go to waste and I'd feel much better if you took them," he said with a smile. Jeremy blushed at the touch of the older man's hand on his wrist.

 

"This seems like a weird way to run a business," he pointed out.

 

"How about you pay me back by coming in more often, and spread the word to your friends?" Jack asked as he shrugged and winked at Jeremy.

 

"O-okay," Jeremy stammered and couldn't help the smile that tugged at his lips at how much happier Jack looked.

 

_Is he flirting with me?_ he wondered.

 

Shaking the thought from his mind he scanned the menu and ordered a burger and some fries with another side of bacon and some beer. His smile fell when he glanced the chef in the back, remembering the day the bank was robbed by him and a crew, his crew Jeremy suspected. He kept a wary eye on the chef who seemed to go about his tasks with a charming, unknowing smile, whistling as he worked. Jeremy's attention spilt again when the door opened and the tall man he'd seen so many times here walked in slowly, taking up his place at the end of the counter quietly, spying Jeremy and offering a small smile. Jeremy looked away and bit his lip, he wished the smell of fresh meat wasn't so strong so he could pick up the man's scent. He found himself admiring the man out of the corner of his eye, his muscular arms, his bluer than blue eyes, his scruffy beard. Jeremy shook the thoughts from his head and the next time Jack walked by, Jeremy signaled him.

 

"I know this might be a weird question, but what do you know about a character here in Los Santos called the Vagabond?" he asked quietly. Jack's eyes widened and he glanced around nervously before looking back to Jeremy, his voice low.

 

"He's a very dangerous man Jeremy. He runs with one of the most dangerous crews in the city known as the Fake AH Crew, and death follows him. Stay far away from him Jeremy, don't go seeking him out, he's bad news and you'll only get hurt. Please, I'd hate it if something bad happened to you," the large man said as he stared into Jeremy's eyes intently. The lad noticed a tiny flicker in those eyes he couldn't quite place, but got the sense of danger. He glanced behind Jack to see that the chef was also staring intently at him, blue-grey eyes studying.

 

Jeremy suddenly felt very trapped and afraid, the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end. He glanced down and saw with horror that the veins in his hands were turning black, a sign that he was about to go wolf. He covered his hands and looked back to Jack with a worried look, managing a shaky nod as he calmed himself. The gent nodded and offered a sad smile as he walked to the end of the counter to take the tall man's order. Jeremy hunched over and concentrated, listening to what the two were saying.

 

"Good evening ol friend, the usual I assume?" Jack asked, smiling fondly. The two must have been good friends or else Jack was the sweetest fucking human on the planet.

 

"Yes, please and thank you," the tall man replied, his deep baritone voice sending a spark down Jeremy's spine. He bit his lip again as Jack walked past him and handed the slip of paper to the chef who'd stopped staring at Jeremy and gone back to cooking.

 

_What the fuck is going on? Why is an active bank robber here making food while not even trying to disguise the fact? Who is this handsome guy that keeps coming in here? Does Jack know more than he's letting on?_ Jeremy's mind raced through thought after thought, each question raising five new ones.

 

Soon his food arrived and he ate, a slow sick feeling taking him over as his worry and questions grew. He glanced up and saw the tall stranger looking at him again and he offered an uncomfortable smile and nod his way, hoping that was enough to make the stranger look away. It wasn't. The tall stranger smiled back, almost as if he were enjoying Jeremy's discomfort and took great pleasure in it, offering a small wave back. The lad looked away quickly and resolved not to go rushing out of the diner this time. After he'd finished he asked for a glass of water and as Jack happily filled a glass he studied the chef. The man seemed normal and very oblivious to Jeremy, despite the small stares he'd received earlier. Jeremy wondered why the man looked so casual instead of glancing out the window every five minutes expecting seal team six to burst in and take him down. There was something different about him too, something Jeremy couldn't quite place. The lad half closed his eyes and concentrated, inhaling deeply.

 

He tried to fight past the strong smell of meat and separate the different scents of the men here in the diner. He was able to finally pick out a hint of Jack's scent, or at least the heavy cologne the man was wearing. It was strong and almost made Jeremy gag and cough, but the scent trail was a pinkish color mixed with the more potent brown of the cologne. The part that was actually Jack smelled pleasant, warm and friendly and Jeremy couldn't help but smile as it filled his nostrils. The chef's scent was nearly impossible to detect, the smell of meat surrounding him. That left the stranger at the end of the counter. Jeremy once again inhaled as he casually took a few drinks, careful not to choke and draw attention to himself. The tall man also had on strong cologne which masked his scent, the cologne smell a crimson red and covered his original scent and hid it from Jeremy's keen nose. He sighed and returned to his drink. So much for that plan, he wished he was better at this wolf stuff.

 

He thanked Jack for the kind offering of the small cakes and insisted that Jack at least have one before he left, the gent smiling and gratefully accepting the small gift. This time Jeremy didn't go out the far door, but resolutely walked past the tall stranger to the door he'd come in through, determined to ignore the man. As he passed, the man looked up and offered the cheekiest and most adorable grin Jeremy had ever seen.

 

"See you around pardner," he said nodding at the hat atop Jeremy head, causing the lad to shiver, a blush spreading across his cheeks.

 

He walked out to his car but quickly darted behind a brick wall, staring back at the building and listening intently, his strong hearing sense picking up the sounds within the diner.

 

"That kid sure has a lot of questions Jack," the chef's voice Jeremy recognized from the bank robbery. It came across less ominous than Jeremy translated it.

 

"He's just a kid Geoff, he's new to this town, he's bound to have questions about this place and who the dangerous people are," Jack countered logically.

 

"It makes me nervous, like he's going to find out something he shouldn't," Geoff continued.

 

_Like you being the ringleader of a bank robbing crew and not the mild mannered chef you're pretending to be? Way ahead of you pal!_ Jeremy thought with an eye roll.

 

"He's not a threat Geoff he's nice and actually a bit of a sweetheart. Maybe if you weren't such a sourpuss you'd like him and become friends," Jack defended. His compliments made Jeremy blush, not many people said nice things like that about or to him.

 

"He is a threat! If he keeps asking questions that'll just bring unwanted attention to us and our territory. We can't risk everything we've worked to build here Jack, this is all we've got!" Geoff exclaimed.

 

_Wait, is Jack in on the crew too?! Or does Geoff mean this little safe haven diner of theirs?_ Jeremy wondered with a frown.

 

"You're jumping to conclusions and that will cause you to make a mistake. Some kid asking questions isn't going to be your downfall, it'll be your own paranoia. And keep your voice down, the walls have ears," Jack grumbled and the conversation ended.

 

Jeremy backed away slowly and darted to his car and drove quickly home, glancing in the rear view mirror to see if he was being followed. He made it to his house and locked the door, sliding to the floor and trying not to wolf out as anxiety and panic started to overtake him. The two men sounded as if they were hiding something, and Jeremy knew that Geoff was at least somewhat affiliated with the gang life. He wasn't too sure about Jack, hoping the man wasn't involved, that he'd finally found one nice normal person to become friends with, and the tall stranger...Jeremy wasn't sure what to think of him, he was attractive in a mysterious sort of way he guessed, and he honestly didn't get a murder vibe from him; more like an average friendly dad. He glanced down at the small package of cakes Jack offered him and popped one into his mouth, nearly moaning with how good it tasted, his nerves settling. Standing, he made his way to the kitchen and stashed the cakes safely so they'd be good the next day. He glanced at the window and walked over, looking up at the moon and stars, and decided that being cooped up in the house on a beautiful night was lame.

 

Leaving the house, he trotted into his woods, smiling as the smells of the wild wafted into his nostrils and stimulated his senses. This was true freedom, running wild and free without a care or worries to wear you down. Jeremy took a deep breath and then went full wolf, becoming the animal in no time and running to the hill where he'd sang the first night. He sat there and wondered if Vagabond was out tonight, deciding to call to him. He threw his head back and howled, calling out to the other Wolfblood and hoping he'd hear a response.

 

"Are you there?" his howl asked in the language of the wolf, one humans couldn't understand.

 

"I'm here," the responding howl returned. Jeremy smiled and sang a sweet song to the Vagabond, getting lost in the magic of the moment.

 

"That was beautiful."

 

Jeremy spun around to see the taller wolf standing there smiling at him, ears perked up and tail wagging happily.

 

_He's such a fucking puppy!_ Jeremy giggled to himself as he blushed at the compliment.

 

"Thanks. Sorry, I didn't know you were coming," he said. Vagabond sat beside him and shrugged.

 

"I wasn't doing anything. And honestly I'd rather hang out with you than with the idiots I work with," he said with a chuckle.

 

"Must be nice being a part of a pack, even if they don't know who you really are," Jeremy observed. Vagabond just shrugged again.

 

"It has its perks," he said. Jeremy glanced up at him, biting his lip nervously.

 

"Um, Vaga? Can I ask you a question?" he asked hesitantly.

 

"Sounds like you just did," Vagabond said and winked at him.

 

"You know what I mean asshole! It's serious," Jeremy couldn't help the smile pulling at the corners of his muzzle. The older wolf grew serious and sighed.

 

"Sure," he said as if he was dreading the question.

 

"You don't have to answer if you don't want to. What does the Kingpin do in his off time?" he asked. Vagabond looked at him and tilted his head, studying him for a moment.

 

"Not sure actually. We all have our own private lives outside the crew, they don't bother me about mine and I don't bother them about theirs. None of my business. Why?" he asked.

 

"Oh, no reason. Just curious what the leader of he most dangerous crew in the state does for fun," Jeremy said as he transformed back into a human, Vagabond following suit. He was wearing his jacket and skull mask, Jeremy wondering if he'd been out hunting for some innocent soul, a shudder going up his spine.

 

"What's it like?" he asked, Vagabond cocking his head as if he was confused. "Having a pack I mean."

 

"It's...nice? A lot louder, there's always something going on, especially with the Lads being as crazy as they are," he admitted after a moment.

 

Jeremy contemplated that as he looked out over the city, then up at the stars. He felt a yearning to be a part of something, a pack, to be wanted and needed, to belong...to belong to someone he thought as he remembered the tall, handsome stranger and glanced up at Ryan, turning away with a blush before the masked man could look back at him.

 

"So what's your story big guy? How'd you find out you were a Wolfblood?" he asked nudging Vagabond.

 

"Oh I've known for many years, since the day I was born," the man said and seemed to stare off into the distance.

 

"That sounds like a story."

 

The Vagabond looked down at the younger man and chuckled, nodding his head before looking back out into the distance.

 

"It sure is. I'll have to tell it to you sometime. For now, I'll just say that I come from a long line of Wolfbloods that can be traced back to colonial days and even further," he said, Jeremy nodding, knowing that the man was very hesitant to share anything about his past.

 

"So tell me more about this whole Wolfblood thing," he said, changing the subject.

 

"What do you want to know?"

 

"Um...you've mentioned that we heal quicker than humans?" Jeremy asked after a moment.

 

"Yeah. See, our blood, since it's both wolf and human, works at a more rapid pace when it comes to repairing itself, healing much quicker in wolf form than human. If you were to break or sprain your leg now, if you turned into a wolf you'd be completely healed by morning. Not sure exactly the science behind it cause I haven't been able to find a willing test subject," Vagabond said, Jeremy snorting and smiling.

 

"You're fucking creepy you know that?" he chuckled, elbowing the older man in the side.

 

"I don't know why people keep telling me that, it's not my fault it's for science!" Vagabond exclaimed in mock offense.

 

"It's one hundred percent your fault!" Jeremy laughed, Vagabond soon joining in.

 

The two lapsed into a comfortable silence, staring up at the star-filled sky and the lights of the city, Jeremy wondering what Vagabond's life was like. He cast a sideways glance at the other wolf and smiled, he was happy he'd found a friend, as creepy and violent as he was.

 

"Vagabond?" he asked quietly.

 

"Hmm?" Vagabond hummed, still looking out over the city.

 

"How come you're so nice and kind to me, but...you towards other people?" Jeremy bit his lip hoping he hadn't crossed a line. Vagabond was silent for a moment before he turned to look at the lad.

 

"I'm not sure honestly. You're...different, and not just because you're Wolfblood, there's something about you as a person," he said hesitantly, causing Jeremy to blush.

 

"Well, whatever it is, I'm glad we're friends," he said and nudged the taller man's shoulder with his.

 

"I am too Jer."

 

Eventually Vagabond left, patting Jeremy on the shoulder before turning wolf and darting away into the darkness of night, Jeremy slowly making his way home as well. His mind was filled with questions and thoughts, and his dreams flashed images of wolves running in woods, hunted down and killed, of two young children crying alone in the woods while howls of pain filled the air. He sat up with a cry, calming himself before he could wolf out, panting and wiped the sweat from his brow.

 

_What the hell is going on?_

**Author's Note:**

> So this was largely inspired by a show I used to watch called Wolfblood. I was interested to see how the AU would fit into a FAHC setting and well...let’s just see how this goes! ;)


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